Durham writers' group welcomes literary agent to breakfast

AJAX -- The Writers' Community of Durham Region is starting the new year having breakfast with Sam Hiyate.

The group welcomes the literary agent to its Jan. 12 breakfast meeting, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the Ajax Convention Centre on Beck Crescent (near Salem Road and Hwy. 401).

"Sam Hiyate is president of The Rights Factory, a literary agency based in Toronto with an international reach," states a press release. "His client list includes Jennifer Close, whose debut Girls in White Dresses was a recent NYT bestseller, David Gilmour, Margot Berwin, Imogen Lloyd Webber, Andrew Kaufman, Jessica Westhead, Elaine Dewar, Claire Letemendia and Rupinder Gill. Before that, he ran the literary division of The Lavin Agency."

After the breakfast meeting, for an additional $10, attendees can take a mini-workshop, Don't Click too Quick. In this workshop, Susan Croft will explain why people -- and especially writers -- should take the time to read the terms and conditions (T and C), and the dangers of being too quick to click.

Or WCDR members at the breakfast can opt to pay $10 extra to attend a 15-minute, one-on-one blue-pencil session with a published professional or editor after the meeting.

Registration fees include a gourmet breakfast. Fees are $20 for members who pre-pay or $25 at the door. The non-member rate is $25 and must be pre-paid. Tickets for the breakfast are not available at the door.